The invention relates to a sealing strip for sealing a joint between a frame profile, for example window-frame profile, and a wall, having an elastically resilient foam strip which is accommodated in a compressed state in a tear-open wrapper, which allows the recovery of the foam strip.
It is known from EP 0 530 653 B1 to form the tear-open wrapper from a C-profiled strip, the C-opening of which is closed by a cover strip. A lug-like pulling tab, which is secured with clamping action, acts on this cover strip. Actuation of the pulling tab makes it possible to release the peripheral groove-securing arrangement between the wrapper-forming parts. The foam strip, advancing beyond the C-opening, may then pass into its active position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,204,373 and 4,344,265 propose to effect opening of the wrapper by a rip cord with a pulling ring disposed at the end as a grip. The wrapper here comprises a strip body which is of approximately hat profile in cross-section and the hat edge of which has a card-like closure wall and can be attached to the relevant object.
It is an object of the invention to form a sealing strip of the generic type such that it is constructed and disposed in an advantageous manner.
This object is achieved first and foremost in the case of a sealing strip having the features of claim 1, this being based on the fact that the tear-open wrapper comprises a plastics sheet which encloses the foam strip and, at the same time, forms a tear-off flap extending in the longitudinal direction of the sealing strip. Such a plastics sheet is thus utilized to form a chamber and pulling tabs. Added to this is the fact that the plastics sheet encasing the foam strip may also be transferred into roll form, with the advantage that it can be cut to length with lower losses being incurred. All that is required is for such a sheet strip to be folded, it being possible for a hem or tube which accommodates the foam strip to be formed in the region in front of the fold The enclosing operation here is effected extremely straightforwardly in that the plastics sheet is attached to itself in order to form the tear-open wrapper. A wide range of different embodiments are possible here, as explained herein-below. First of all, it should also be pointed out that the foam strip may be made of an open-cell PU foam. Provision is made here for the foam strip to be impregnated for delayed recovery. An example of a possible impregnating agent is an acrylate. As far as the open-cell foam with delayed recovery is concerned, you are referred to European Patent Applications 88 117 173 and 88 118 716 and to European Patent 72 955. The attachment indicated may be formed by sewing. This has the advantage of the stitches being utilized as a perforation line. Another advantageous possibility is provided by welding. For this purpose, use is made, for example, of a sheet material with appropriate thermal response. The attachment may also be realized, however, by adhesive bonding. In this case, the invention proposes that the foam strip is attached to the plastics sheet inside the tear-open wrapper. Partial attachment is sufficient, so that the torn-open opening edges of the plastics sheet can move and the plastics strip can thus advance freely in a forcible manner, with or without delay, for abutment against the surface which is to be sealed. The attachment between foam strip and plastics sheet is formed by adhesive bonding. Use is preferably made of an adhesive which undergoes good anchoring in the open-cell foam strip. An advantageous feature then consists in that a double-sided adhesive strip is disposed inside the tear-open wrapper, the adhesive strip being adhesively bonded, on one side, to the plastics sheet and, on the other side, to the foam strip. For the purpose of positioning the sealing strip, it proves to be advantageous for the latter to have a longitudinal adhesive strip on the outside for adhesive bonding to the frame profile or a bar. This longitudinal adhesive strip, which is located along the rear of the inner adhesive strip, results in a laminate-like wall-stiffening means as an advantageous supporting space for the foam strip as it is relieved of stressing. This is manifested by the feature of the longitudinal adhesive strip being disposed such that it overlaps the inside attachment between the foam strip and the plastics sheet. This is further optimized in that the plastics sheet is reinforced in the region of the attachment between foam strip and the plastics sheet and/or of the outer longitudinal adhesive strip. The reinforcement is preferably realized by reinforcing filaments. Such reinforcing filaments may be disposed as a reinforcing network. For the purpose of positioning a corresponding reinforcement, use is made of the measure of the reinforcement being adhesively bonded to the plastics sheet. The reinforcement is embedded to good effect if it forms a intermediate layer between the inner double-sided adhesive strip and the inner surface of the plastics sheet. It is also proposed that the tear-off flap comprises the two double-layer-forming ends of the plastics sheet. Such a double-layered pulling lug is correspondingly stable for use.
The invention then relates to a compressed foam strip which is disposed in a bar and is accommodated in a tear-open wrapper, protection being afforded to the fact that a tear-open flap, which is formed from the tear-open wrapper itself, the latter being in the form of a plastics sheet, projects in the outward direction beyond the bar in order to eliminate the compression. Such a bar makes it possible to vary the supporting plane for the foam strip in relation to the frame profile, that is to say to select the sealing abutment pressure. It is advantageous here for the mount, which is formed in the bar, to be of bench-like form in cross-section. This produces a substantially rebate-like mount. Finally, it is proposed that parallel to the bench backrest of the mount, but located opposite the same, the bar has an adhesive surface for adhesive bonding to the frame profile. When not in use, the adhesive surface may be kept free of dust via a pull-off protecting strip. To conclude, provision is also made for the bar to be associated with the frame profile such that it leaves a gap for the tear-off strip (sic). The attachment is hidden from view in the gap depth, but the root of the tear-off flap is not clamped in.